Code Age Commanders

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Square Enix takes the veil off its new franchise. Details inside.

By Anoop Gantayat

Last year's Japanese release of Dragon Quest VIII brought with it the first trailer for Square Enix's all new franchise, Code Age. It took about four months, but we now at last have specifics on what Square Enix has planned for the property.

Code Age is going to be a big franchise for Square Enix, with products appearing across all forms of media. Already, a Code Age comic has been announced, set to be published in the monthly Shounen GanGan comic in Japan. Gamers looking to experience the franchise will be able to do so through Code Age Commanders, a new fantasy action RPG featuring being developed for the PlayStation 2. There's a third project known to be in the works, but its identity has yet to be revealed (we've got our money on a cartoon).

Code Age Commanders takes place in a world known as the Kyuunai Sekai, a Japanese phrase that can be translated to "world within the globe." The world has at its center a sphere-shaped object known as Central Code. Much like our Sun, Central Code is visible in the sky, although the "planet" on which mankind exists actually surrounds it, rather than rotating around it.

Every-so-often, in time frames measured in tens of thousands of years, Central Code goes through what's called "Reborn," a transmigration period during which all life on the planet dies off and the world is born anew. Mankind has become so technologically-advanced that it knows a Reborn is about to take place, and to prevent its own extinction, it creates a massive ark surrounding Central Code. All of mankind boards the ark and enters a deep sleep, planning to awaken once Reborn has completed and the new world is born.

Things don't go according to plan. The ark is damaged and people are sent falling back to the planet's surface, apparently before Ribbon has completed. One such character is the game's young hero, Jean. Jean awakens on the planet, which appears a different world, and is drawn into a war with strange, unfamiliar creatures, the so-called "Otero." The Otero are a dangerous bunch who can possess humans, turning them into what's referred to as a "Coded," where they lose their will.

Jean undergoes a transformation early on in the story. He becomes a War Head, a creature somewhere between a human and a Coded, preserving the will of man but with what appears to be greater powers. War Heads have the ability to transform parts of their bodies into weapons, a skill that they use to fight against their enemies.

Jean's arm transform into his weapon, and you make use of this in the game's action-oriented battle system, the exact nature of which is unknown at this point. Jean rises in ability as he fights, and you're given the opportunity to customize his development path to your liking, building him into a powerful War Head.

Square Enix has just opened the veil on Coded Arms, revealing background story and hinting at strong action elements. We'll have to wait for a future update from the company for specifics on gameplay. Development is only at 50%, so don't expect this one until later on in the year in Japan and some time after that in America.